


Whispers in the Night

by Thatgirlwiththatpen



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018), Ocean's Eleven Trilogy (Movies)
Genre: Debbie and Lou are endgame and you can't convince me otherwise, Debbie speaks German, F/F, Fluff, Heist Wives, Lou is distracted by it, Love Confessions, Now With A Second Chapter, So Married, otp: baby i don't have a diamond yet, whispered confessions in a foreign language, who doesn't love that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-16 17:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15442281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatgirlwiththatpen/pseuds/Thatgirlwiththatpen
Summary: “You know, that whole foreign language thing was,” Lou trailed off, her eyes flickering away from Debbie's intense and curious stare.“What, Lou?”“Nothing.”“Was it,” she tilted her head a little, “distracting?”





	1. Chapter 1

It was much later that night when everyone had cleared out after their initial celebration. Debbie had insisted on ordering Thai take-out and Lou had merely chuckled before placing the order. She remembered all too well how Debbie worked. She wouldn't eat hours in advance of a heist and then catch up on all the food she could get right after. 

They were seated opposite each other at the small kitchen table Lou had set up in the warehouse, not dissimilar from the first night Debbie had been there, after she had confronted Claude Becker with a sharpened toothbrush. Debbie had the take-out from her container emptied on the plate in front of her while Lou just ate straight from the box. 

Lou watched Debbie for what felt like forever. It still felt strangely overwhelming to have Debbie here with her after so long. She hadn't expected it to be so easy to fall back into their comfortable routine around each other. Sure, she had hoped it would be easy, but she hadn't expected it. And yet, here they were. Comfortable as ever. Maybe a little too comfortable for Lou's taste. Five years, eight months and twelve days was a long time and if she hadn't been sure of her feelings for her partner before, she sure was now. She knew she loved Debbie with everything she had. And when they had joked about that proposal in the diner after Debbie had been released, well, Lou had hoped that one day, it wouldn't be a joke anymore. 

Her thoughts flashed back to the Met Gala, how Debbie had looked absolutely stunning while pulling off the heist of a century flawlessly. She had made it look so easy, even distracting the security guards when Lou had been busy with her submarine mission. And God, that damn German. The thing was, German was not sexy. She had heard plenty of people speak it and it had never had any appeal to her. And yet, when that language flowed past Debbie's lips..

“You know, that whole foreign language thing was,” Lou trailed off, her eyes flickering away from Debbie's intense and curious stare. 

“What, Lou?” 

“Nothing.”

Debbie took a measured step closer to her partner, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Was it,” she tilted her head a little, “distracting?” 

Lou couldn't help the shiver that ran down her spine at Debbie's close proximity. It was unfair what this woman could do to her. And she couldn't play this game. Not again. Not after how they had crashed and burned last time. It was good to have Debbie back. In her life, in her home, by her side. But she couldn't afford anything beyond being her partner-in-crime and best friend. Not when she still refused to see how dangerous it was to involve her douche of an ex in her little plan. Not when she still refused to see how much she meant to Lou. 

“It was fucking annoying, okay?” Lou rolled her eyes, hoping she was selling the part well enough for Debbie to not suspect anything beyond it, namely that, God yes, it had been extremely distracting. “It was fucking annoying because I don't speak Ukrainian.”

Debbie chuckled lowly, the sound hitting Lou square in the chest, “German, Lou, it was German.”

“Whatever, I still don't speak it.”

Debbie's tongue flicked out to wet her lips in a gesture so downright sexual that Lou had to fight with everything she had to not stare at the motion. 

“Wirklich? Ist das so?” 

Lou was just barely able to suppress a groan. 

“Don't do that,” she managed to sound somewhat stern and annoyed. 

Debbie put on her best innocent look, “Was denn?” 

“Whatever, Deborah,” Lou rolled her eyes and got off her chair. 

“Oh, full names,” Debbie leaned back in her chair, “Two can play that game, _Louise_.”

Lou disposed her empty take-out container in the trash, then turned back around to Debbie. The sight of her partner lounging in her chair, still in that gala dress, her hair now free of the wig and flowing down her shoulders, an insufferable smirk on her face. And it was finally finally too much. She was tired. She couldn't keep up with the constant flirting and innuendo and then acting like it was normal for best friends and partners to be that way around another. It wasn't fucking normal. And she was sick and tired of being at the butt of Debbie's little fun and games. It was hard enough to keep up the facade of not being hopelessly in love with her when she wasn't being like _that_ , but this? This was just too hard. 

“Goodnight, Debbie,” she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for further conversation. As she turned around, she could see Debbie sit up straighter from the corner of her eyes, staring after her as she headed up to their shared bedroom. 

She had foolishly told Debbie to just sleep in her bedroom the first night she had gotten back, wanting to have her close, hoping that things would be different now, that they would have a chance. Nothing had been different, though, and yet, Debbie had returned to her bed every night since. It was infuriating. A small part of her hoped that tonight would be the night Debbie would finally use the bedroom designated for her and not show up in Lou's bedroom again. 

 --- 

The lights were already out when Debbie slipped into Lou's bedroom an hour later. Lou rolled over onto her side, shutting her eyes, pretending to be asleep already. She couldn't do this right now. She listened with bated breath as Debbie tiptoed across the room, then sat down on the edge of the bed. She heard Debbie slip off the fluffy shoes she had stolen from a fancy hotel once. Debbie lifted the covers, then slipped underneath them and shuffled closer to Lou. 

Debbie propped herself up on one elbow to get a better look at her partner's face. She watched for any signs that Lou wasn't asleep, and when she couldn't find any, she shifted impossibly closer to her. 

She thought back to the day they had had, to the weeks leading up to it. How Lou had been by her side every step of the way, just like she had anticipated, had hoped. Her mind flashed back to those cold and lonely five years, eight months and twelve days. How the one constant in all of her plans and hopes and regrets had always been Lou. _Always Lou._ She had realized it too late, of course. If she hadn't been so stubborn, so full of herself, she would have maybe realized sooner and saved them both the mess that had been Claude Becker and prison. But now that she had realized, she was not going to repeat her stupid mistakes. She was determined to make it right this time. And she knew, God she fucking knew, that teasing Lou endlessly and keeping up her casual facade wasn't doing either of them any good. But she was worried. Worried that maybe, after everything, Lou would reject her, would tell her to go to hell and just leave this, them. 

Debbie dropped the ghost of a kiss to Lou's shoulder, meeting naked skin there as Lou had opted for a tank top as a sleeping shirt. Her lips lingered for a second too long. But Lou was asleep. She would never know. 

And then, because she couldn't fucking help herself, her best-kept secret rolled off her tongue, “Ich liebe dich.” 

It was a silent whisper into the dark night. A whisper she was so sure would never be heard. 

What she didn't notice was how Lou's breath caught in her throat for the briefest second before she went back to her faked even breathing. Now, Lou was no fool. She knew that some cons required seduction in any language required at the given time. And so, over the years, she had picked up a few phrases here and there. She was by no means fluent in any of those languages, and she hadn't understood even half of what Debbie had said in German throughout the day. But she did know those three words. She would, in fact, know them anywhere. _I love you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had not written fanfiction in so so long, then these two came along. First Debbie/Lou fic attempt. Hope you don't hate it! (Would also be open to writing a second chapter if anyone is interested)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Debbie's whispered confession..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the overwhelming feedback to the story. You completely blew me away. And you inspired a second chapter.

Lou didn't get a wink of sleep that night and so when the room was bathed in the first rays of daylight streaming in through the gaps in the blinds, she was already wide awake. She was staring at the ceiling, her thoughts running a million miles an hour. Throughout the night, she had started to doubt her German skills. Had she understood Debbie's whisper into the dark night correctly? Or had it been a figment of her imagination? She suddenly wasn't so sure anymore. Debbie didn't even feel that way about her. She didn't, couldn't. 

She sighed as her gaze dropped to where Debbie's arm was casually draped over her waist and then lower to where Debbie's leg had found its way in between her own legs sometime during the night. What she wouldn't give to wake up like this every day for the rest of her life. _Baby I don't have a diamond yet._ Debbie had plenty of diamonds now, but Lou just knew, was so certain, that she would never get that kind of diamond from Debbie. The frustration boiled up in Lou again and she swiftly untangled herself from Debbie's sleeping form and sat up, swinging her legs out of the bed in one fluid motion. She allowed herself to look at Debbie for a second too long, a second longer than a friend and partner would. Then, she quietly retrieved her dressing gown that she had flung onto a nearby chair the previous night, pulled it around her body and quietly left the room. 

\---

When Debbie woke, Lou was gone. She blinked a couple times to adjust to the light before her eyes scanned the room. Lou was gone and so was her dressing gown. Her stomach dropped. She knew she had wrapped herself around Lou as they were sleeping. She just didn't think that kind of thing would prompt Lou to sneak out without even saying good morning. It certainly would not have prompted that kind of reaction in the old days. But it wasn't the old days anymore. She had left Lou, she had fucked up beyond belief, and she was the one currently paying for the consequences. 

She sighed and sat up, a hand running through her unruly hair. She hated this new them. The them that she had created. Where they would flirt shamelessly and their conversations would be filled with innuendo and their eyes would meet in such heated gazes that it was impossible to not see and feel the sexual tension in the room and yet, all of it would be as a joke. And Debbie didn't want it to be a joke. She wanted it to be real. She wanted Lou. Partner-in-crime and partner-in-life. 

Debbie slipped on her fluffy fancy hotel slippers that were still standing in front of the bed where she had dropped them the previous evening. Then she slowly made her way out of the room and down the first flight of stairs. She stopped for a second, to listen for any noise, but she couldn't hear any sounds anywhere. A terrible thought flashed through her mind and a knot formed in her stomach, a lump in her throat. What if Lou had heard? What if she had understood her whispered confession in a language Lou had claimed she didn't understand? 

When she reached the kitchen and there was still no trace of Lou, the knot in her stomach only tightened further. Had Lou left her for good? A wave of panic rolled over her, overwhelming her, knocking every breath out of her body. She needed air. 

Her feet carried her to the only logical spot, out the door and to the beach that was their form of a backyard. Their. Debbie knew well enough that Lou had only let her stay over until she got her own place, but then again, she had set up a room with all of her things for her. And she had invited her to her own bed the very first night she had been back. And now, well now Debbie wasn't so sure what she would do in case Lou ever decided that she did want her to leave after all, that she had overstayed her welcome. She couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Or she could. She just couldn't imagine living anywhere where Lou wasn't by her side. 

The second she set foot on the beach, Debbie took a shuddering breath that immediately got caught in her throat when her eyes landed on a figure by the shallow waves. _Lou._ Her hair was somewhat messed up, telling Debbie that Lou had not bothered to brush it that morning. Lou had her dressing gown wrapped around her body and the whole sight just took Debbie's breath away. Lou was downright gorgeous in her suits and leather pants and leather jackets. But Lou like this, all unruly hair and fresh-out-of-bed look in the morning? It was so rare that anyone ever saw Lou like this, and Debbie cherished the sense of intimacy in that. That she got to see Lou like this. Unguarded, not put-together for once. Just Lou. 

She was about to turn on her heel and head back into the warehouse, when Lou, seemingly having sensed her presence, spoke up. “You just gonna stand there?” 

Debbie couldn't help, but immediately put on her casual facade. “Just taking in the view.”

Lou huffed out a laugh and Debbie took that as a good enough sign. Maybe Lou wasn't mad at her. Maybe Lou hadn't heard her whispered confession. Maybe everything was okay. She crossed the distance over to Lou and stood next to her, overlooking the waves of the river. 

“Did you sleep well?” 

Debbie shrugged, “You know I sleep well after a successful heist.”

When she glanced over at Lou, she could see something akin to pain contorting her features. Had she said something wrong? 

“Yeah,” Lou mumbled, “I know.” 

Something was off. Debbie reached out hesitantly, but Lou flinched away. “Lou?” 

As she watched her partner's face closely, she could see the exact moment the change occurred. When Lou's face went from pained to determined, yet scared, a little hurt even. 

“Lou, what's wrong?” 

“You said you loved me, Debbie,” Lou spat out.

The words were like a punch right to Debbie's gut and she felt like the wind got knocked out of her. Lou had heard. Lou had heard and she was _angry_.

“Lou,” Debbie tried, forcing her stupid signature smile on her face. 

Her partner spun around, facing her, and the sheer anger and hurt in her eyes startled Debbie. She had never seen Lou like this before. 

“Don't _Lou_ me right now, Debbie,” Lou said angrily. “Why did you say that?”

Debbie averted her gaze. She didn't know what to say, all the words, her wit, just failing her. She couldn't even look her partner, her best friend, in the eyes. 

“Was it to what? Mess with me a little more? Newsflash, Debbie, I may not speak German very well, but I do happen to know those three words. You _taught_ me.”

Debbie felt tears stinging in her eyes, but she willed them to go away. She was determined not to cry. Deborah Ocean did not cry. She remembered, of course she remembered, that she had taught Lou. She had just foolishly thought that maybe, just maybe, Lou would have forgotten and that it would be save to utter those words in a foreign language. Just to say them once, to just get it out there. Without her ever knowing. Except Lou had known. _She knew._

“Whatever, Debbie,” Lou huffed and turned to walk away. 

That spurred Debbie into action. 

“Lou,” she called after her, “Lou, please.”

She caught up with Lou after a few steps and reached out to take hold of her wrist, pulling her toward her so she could look into her eyes. When Lou didn't pull away, she took that as a good sign. 

“Lou, please, I,” Debbie tried, but trailed off when she couldn't find the right words. What was she supposed to say? She had fucked up. She had fallen in love with her partner. A long time ago. And now, evidently, her partner, her best friend, the one person she loved most in this world, was angry at her for it. Her heart squeezed painfully. 

“I can't do this, Deb,” Lou's voice sounded strangled, but at least she had used that shortened version of her nickname. The name only Lou called her. That had to amount to something, right? 

“Lou, I,” Debbie swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, “I'm so sorry.”

When she looked up, she was surprised to see tears pooling in Lou's eyes. Why was she crying? Wasn't she angry at her? 

“It's fine, I understand,” Lou mumbled and it sounded so hurt, so broken, that it shattered Debbie's heart into a million pieces. She couldn't stand to see Lou this way. 

“Lou,” she let her hand trail down until it reached Lou's and she intertwined their fingers slowly, watching as she did so. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to hear that. I just, I thought you were asleep and that it would be safe to say it, if only once.”

Lou nodded, “As a joke.”

_Now or never, Ocean._

“Never a joke, Lou,” Debbie whispered. 

She could feel Lou's eyes flicking toward her, watching her intently, waiting for her to look up. When she reluctantly did, she found that confusion was written all over Lou's face. Confusion and..hope? 

“You,” Lou took a tentative step closer to Debbie, stepping into her personal space now, “You were serious? When you said you love me?” 

Debbie couldn't bring herself to say anything, so she just nodded slowly. 

“Debbie, I swear to God, if this is a joke..”

“It's not a joke, Lou,” Debbie said, finally locking her eyes on Lou's. 

She felt her flight instinct kick in as Lou regarded her for what was possibly the longest moment of her life, her blue eyes flickering over her face, staring into her eyes like she could see every single secret of the universe in them. She wanted to run, to just hide forever and never face this. But she had made a vow to herself in prison. She would not let herself fuck up the one good thing in her life ever again. She would not let herself go another day without having Lou by her side. She couldn't. And maybe that was selfish because God, Lou deserved so much better than her, and she absolutely didn't deserve Lou, but she also couldn't live without Lou.

She was bracing herself for the rejection, could see it coming even. What she didn't see coming, however, was Lou leaning forward. Lou leaning forward and capturing her lips in the softest, slowest kiss. It froze Debbie to the spot, but when Lou didn't pull away, but in fact only increased the sweet pressure, Debbie allowed herself to return the kiss, to lean into it, to let her free hand wander to Lou's other arm and squeeze, anchoring herself. 

When Lou eventually pulled away, she kept her face close to Debbie's. She watched as Debbie tried to regain her breathing, her eyes still shut. It was a sight Lou wanted to remember for the rest of her life, just in case this was the only time she would get to see it. 

Debbie's eyes flickered open and she tilted her head, regarding Lou with a curious expression on her face. “Lou,” she simply said and it came out as barely above a whisper. 

“Bear with me here, okay? I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't good at this,” Lou said and Debbie looked at her in confusion. 

“Lou, what..?” 

But Lou cut her off in the most beautiful way, “Ich liebe dich auch.”

_I love you too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for your overwhelming feedback and support. Words can't express how much I appreciate each and every one of you. I hope you liked this second chapter and as I'm still so new to being back to fanfiction and completely new to writing in this fandom, I'm super nervous and I hope I did the characters justice.


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